Just how good was Antonio Tarver?

[whollisboxing]

he got ko'd in the 2nd and dominated in the 3rd

Yes we know Tarver won the trilogy decisively, however we also can't forget that Roy edged Tarver in their first fight. It was actually his last great win.

[whollisboxing]

And how good was RJJ when Tarver beat him?

Scale of 1-10 for each will suffice. For example you could say Tarver was 7/10, and RJJ was 6/10 in those fights, compared to what he was when he was at his peak.

I ask the question because if Loma-Teo happens, I want Teo to ask that 'excuses' question before they face off. And it made me think of that fight.

Not that Loma really made excuses, I just loved that line and want to see it used more often.

I would say Tarver was 7/10, and RJJ was 6/10 when they fought.

I would say that Tarver was at his absolute peak in the Roy Jones fights while Roy was about 70% of his best, especially given the weight issue.

I say that because Tarver turned pro in 1997 and he had 21 fights going in. Jones turned pro in 1989 and he had 48 fights going in. In other words, Tarver was hitting his peak while Roy was at the end of a HOF, all-time great run.

With that said, I don't totally write off Tarver's success because sometimes a guy is simply a stylistic nightmare for you. Antonio Tarver would have been difficult for Roy at any point, however Tarver did benefit from the timing of the fights. He was still a very good fighter regardless.

[Mike_b]

Roy should have retired after beating Tarver. He made the mistake and took the rematch and got lit up like a jack-o'-lantern. In the third fight he had all the balls in there except his self belief/ fear of Tarver outweighed his good intentions. He had all the balls in the world but lost the third fight fighting cautiously. Then to make matters worse, glencoffee Johnson destroyed him. It wasn't a good look. Superman laying on the canvas with a busted face. Glen really took it to him, he gutted out the win by way of ko. Pressure busts pipes so on and so forth. Both Johnson and Tarver were great, as they went nip and tuck against each other, but Roy was superman. They're wins were so big at the time that Tarver owned Roy's soul as they said back then. And also glencoffe had fighter of the year award. This Tyson fight should've happened after Ruiz, forget about Lennox Lewis, he's too big/strong. But Mike didn't want no part of Roy at the time. Apparently this fight is gonna be for a belt. So there is some closure in sports history going down here if Roy pulls it off! Wth are they gonna say if Tyson wins? "Oh he was outweighed him hw vs a light heavyweight lol "

[Monzon99]

Roy wanted to fight Tarver and said he has to beat someone. When he fought Harding he lost. Tarver lost the first fight against Roy and was in no position to demand any bouts.

History revisionists.

Duck moves. Roy didn't make the street cleaner, dog catcher, mailman or police officer opponents have "to beat someone" first. Roy knew Tarver was a high risk and was setting up his mayweather duck moves to avoid Tarver.

The first fight was very close and exciting and merited a rematch, not meaningless Roy vs Glen Johnson and Tarver vs Julio Gonzalez waste of time fights which is what Roy instructed HBO to do.

F-A-C-T-S.

[E-Thug]

Roy got caught with the perfect punch, it happens but make no mistake, prime Roy would have bodied Tarver violently

[STREET CLEANER]

Duck moves. Roy didn't make the street cleaner, dog catcher, mailman or police officer opponents have "to beat someone" first. Roy knew Tarver was a high risk and was setting up his mayweather duck moves to avoid Tarver.

The first fight was very close and exciting and merited a rematch, not meaningless Roy vs Glen Johnson and Tarver vs Julio Gonzalez waste of time fights which is what Roy instructed HBO to do.

F-A-C-T-S.

Fact is that he fought him right after. Both guys got paid well for the rematch. There is something called negotiations so the more you say no the more they pay you.

[bluebeam]

Jones Jr. tried to duck Tarver like all the other threats he ducked in the 90s. The other poster in this thread nailed it, Tarver did not allow the narcissist Roy to avoid him quietly. He shamed him into facing him and then he single handidly destroyed Roy and emasculated him with the most infamous boxing quote ever: GOT ANY EXCUSES TONIGHT ROY? A few minutes later and Roy had no legacy left.

Other threats like who?

Undefeated james toney?
Undefeated benard hopkins?

Thats 2 prime hall of famers that roy dominated.

Who else from the 90s did that? Nobody

[Boxing-1013]

I would say that Tarver was at his absolute peak in the Roy Jones fights while Roy was about 70% of his best, especially given the weight issue.

I say that because Tarver turned pro in 1997 and he had 21 fights going in. Jones turned pro in 1989 and he had 48 fights going in. In other words, Tarver was hitting his peak while Roy was at the end of a HOF, all-time great run.

With that said, I don't totally write off Tarver's success because sometimes a guy is simply a stylistic nightmare for you. Antonio Tarver would have been difficult for Roy at any point, however Tarver did benefit from the timing of the fights. He was still a very good fighter regardless.

Thanks...am definitely curious how he would have done against a prime RJJ, and if that matchup would have been a problem for Roy

[BKM-]

Other threats like who?

Undefeated james toney?
Undefeated benard hopkins?

Thats 2 prime hall of famers that roy dominated.

Who else from the 90s did that? Nobody

You really don't know who they were? You have a lot to learn about boxing.

There were some very good fighters in Roid's era. He didn't fight any of them except Toney, and Hopkins was nowhere near his peak yet(by the time that he was, Roy ducked him like he ducked the rest).

Roy got his karma though.

[Rick Taylor]

Roy got caught with the perfect punch, it happens but make no mistake, prime Roy would have bodied Tarver violently

roy has a glass chin. he could never beat tarver.
roy is a cherry picking duck.